What is the significance of the shoes of the gospel of peace?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Paul uses the imagery of the “armor of God” in Ephesians 6:10–20 to speak about how one prepares for, and stands against, Satan’s attacks. In Ephesians 6:15, Paul speaks about “shoes for your feet” in relation to the “gospel of peace.” He doesn’t dwell on the type of shoes, as that’s not the point. Rather, his focus is on what the shoes mean: readiness for the gospel. The shoes may refer to how the gospel prepares one to flee Satan’s temptations, as implied by the ESV translation of “readiness given by the gospel of peace.” However, Paul likely intends "preparedness" to mean a readiness to take the gospel to others (e.g., NRSV). As much of the rest of the armor alludes to Isaiah, Paul likely has Isaiah 52:7 in mind, a passage he also references in Romans 10:15. There, God says, “the feet bring good news” and the one announcing “peace.” The gospel is a message of peace because it reconciles men and women with God through faith in Jesus (Romans 5:1). The one whose feet are prepared not only flees Satan’s arrows but also brings the message of hope to others.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Isaiah 52:7 is likely the background imagery for the shoes and gospel in Ephesians 6. It reads, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’”
• Though this passage doesn’t use the word “shoes,” the rest of the imagery is there: “feet,” “good news” (gospel), and “peace.” If this is indeed Paul’s background, then he intends this piece of armor to reflect one who is ready to go and share the good news, just as in Isaiah 52, a messenger was called to proclaim that God would save Israel (Isaiah 52:9–10).

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• In Ephesians 6:10–20, Paul used what he termed “the armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11) to illustrate how a believer can “be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:13). As part of his illustration, he describes various spiritual practices and attitudes as various pieces of armor.
• Ephesians 6:15, with the shoes, reads, “and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.” The comment “as shoes for your feet” describes “the readiness given by the gospel of peace.” That readiness is like shoes.
• The underlying Greek allows for two possible interpretations of what Paul meant by “readiness.” The first, as shown in the ESV quote in the previous point, is that the source of the readiness is the gospel. This interpretation says that the Gospel enables one to stand.
• The NRSV represents the second interpretation. It reads, “As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace.” In this example, the Gospel is not so much about preparing one to stand as about preparing one to go and tell others about their hope.
• While both are valid options, and as stated in the Old Testament section, Paul appears to be alluding to Isaiah 52:7. He uses several overlapping words and that would not be surprising as many of the other pieces of armor are also drawn directly from Isaiah (see, in particular, Isaiah 59:17). Also, Paul also used the Isaiah 52:7 verse elsewhere (Romans 10:15), connecting it with evangelistic outreach. Thus, if Paul’s background material is Isaiah 52:7, then the second interpretation is correct.
• The gospel is a “gospel of peace” because the message of salvation is reconciliation between sinful humanity and God through Jesus. For example, the angels declared peace when Jesus was born (Luke 2:14), and Paul said of believers, “Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Interestingly, this piece of armor is intended not so much for defense as for helping others, but as this article explains, Paul’s likely intention is that these shoes represent readiness for evangelism. However, before we can spread it, we must wear them ourselves! Thus, it starts with us putting on the shoes so that we can stand against Satan, who blinds the minds of unbelievers (2 Corinthians 4:4) and rules the unbelieving world (John 12:31).

However, they represent more than just our salvation. They refer to our readiness to spread the Gospel of peace to others. Before Jesus left the earth, He gave all His disciples the commission to make disciples and to teach them everything He had commanded (Matthew 28:19–20). Every believer is expected to share the gospel with others with the hope that they, too, will put on the shoes and tell still more.

What is the gospel? It’s the antidote to life’s greatest problem: since everyone’s a sinner (Romans 3:23) and since God’s holy (Isaiah 6:3) and can’t allow sin to go unpunished (Exodus 34:6–7), how can anyone escape His coming wrath (Revelation 20:11–15)? The gospel means “good news,” and is the proclamation that God has made a way of escape in His Son. He sent Jesus to come live the perfect life we can’t, and to die a sacrificial death to pay for sin’s penalty on behalf of others. For all who repent of their sin and trust Jesus as the only way of salvation (John 14:6), God counts them as righteous (Romans 4:5), calls them His children (John 1:12), and saves them from the day of wrath (Romans 5:9).

If you already believe this, have you told others? Put on the shoes and get ready to tell others how they, too, can be free from the power of Satan, sin, and death!

UNDERSTAND

• The shoes of the gospel of peace likely draw on Isaiah 52:7, where the feet of the one who brings good news and announces peace are called beautiful.
• Readiness can refer to standing firm or being prepared to proclaim.
• The gospel is called a gospel of peace because it reconciles sinners to God through faith in Jesus.

REFLECT

• How does the image of your feet being prepared to go wherever the gospel needs to be carried challenge the way you think about your own readiness to share your faith?
• How does understanding the gospel as a message of peace change the way you present it to others who may be hostile or indifferent to it?
• What fears or excuses make you hesitant to share the gospel, and how can you better prepare your heart and mind to do so wherever you go?

ENGAGE

• How does Isaiah 52:7 help explain what Paul means by being ready to proclaim the gospel?
• How are standing firm in the faith and sharing the gospel connected?
• How should the gospel, being a message of peace, shape the way Christians communicate it to others?